The terrorist attacks against America comprise a horrible tragedy. But they
shouldn't be a surprise.

It is well known that in war, the first casualty is truth -- that during any war truth is
forsaken for propaganda. But sanity was a prior casualty: it was the loss of sanity
that led to war in the first place.

Our foreign policy has been insane for decades. It was only a matter of time until
Americans would have to suffer personally for it. It is a terrible tragedy of life that
the innocent so often have to suffer for the sins of the guilty.

When we will learn that we can't allow our politicians to bully the world without
someone bullying back eventually?

President Bush has authorized continued bombing of innocent people in Iraq.
President Clinton bombed innocent people in the Sudan, Afghanistan, Iraq, and
Serbia. President Bush Senior invaded Iraq and Panama. President Reagan
bombed innocent people in Libya and invaded Grenada. And on and on it goes.

Did we think the people who lost their families and friends and property in all that
destruction would love America for what happened? When will we learn that
violence always begets violence?

Teaching Lessons

Supposedly, Reagan bombed Libya to teach Muammar al-Qaddafi a lesson about
terrorism. But shortly thereafter a TWA plane was destroyed over Scotland, and
our government is convinced it was Libyans who did it.

When will we learn that "teaching someone a lesson" never teaches anything but
resentment -- that it only inspires the recipient to greater acts of defiance.

How many times on Tuesday did we hear someone describe the terrorist attacks
as "cowardly acts"? But as misguided and despicable as they were, they were
anything but cowardly. The people who committed them knowingly gave their lives
for whatever stupid beliefs they held.

But what about the American Presidents who order bombings of innocent people
-- while the Presidents remain completely insulated from any danger? What would
you call their acts?

When will we learn that forsaking truth and reason in the heat of battle almost
always assures that we will lose the battle?

Losing our Last Freedoms

And now, as sure as night follows day, we will be told we must give up more of our
freedoms to avenge what never should have happened in the first place.

When will we learn that it makes no sense to give up our freedoms in the name of
freedom?

What to Do

What should be done?

First of all, stop the hysteria. Stand back and ask how this could have happened.
Ask how a prosperous country isolated by two oceans could have so embroiled
itself in other people's business that someone would want to do us harm. Even
sitting in the middle of Europe, Switzerland isn't beset by terrorist attacks,
because the Swiss mind their own business.

Second, resolve that we won't let our leaders use this occasion to commit their
own terrorist acts upon more innocent people, foreign and domestic, that will inspire
more terrorist attacks in the future.

Third, find a way, with enforceable constitutional limits, to prevent our leaders from
ever again provoking this kind of anger against America.

Patriotism?

There are those who will say this article is unpatriotic and un-American - that this
is not a time to question our country or our leaders.

When will we learn that without freedom and sanity, there is no reason to be
patriotic?

Harry Browne was the 2000 Libertarian presidential candidate. You can read more
of his articles at http://www.HarryBrowne.org, and his books are available at
http://www.HBBooks.com.